


Follow Your Creed (Male-Reader)

by Selvaria



Series: Of Loyalty and Love [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Confession, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M, Family, Feelings, Female Reader, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, Imperial Reader, Love, M/M, Non-Canon Relationship, Original Character(s), Other, Reader-Insert, Romance, Swearing, male reader - Freeform, mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:01:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21909385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selvaria/pseuds/Selvaria
Summary: The Assassin’s Festival is in full swing in Lesatllum and every nerd across Eos has joined the fray, decked out in full assassin cosplay to live the dream. Prince Noctis couldn’t pass up a chance to have some fun involving his all-time favorite game series while gathering information along the way. The party comes to an abrupt halt though when a large group of imperial magitek troopers come marching into the city.
Relationships: Ignis Scientia/Reader
Series: Of Loyalty and Love [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1578103
Kudos: 10





	1. Brotherhood

**Author's Note:**

> Loqi kept demanding his time in the spotlight and I just could not deny the boy anymore. lol Enjoy~
> 
> Side note:  
> I had originally written in ‘(brother/sister)’ and ‘(him/her)’ to cover both sides, but it was annoying the hell out of me while reading it over for editing. So instead, I made two separate versions to post for each gender. Choose whichever one fits you to read. ;3
> 
> **== DO NOT REUPLOAD MY WORK ANYWHERE! ==  
> **  
>  ============ THANK YOU! ============  
> 

As night fell upon the lands of Cleigne, daemons began their ascent to terrorize unsuspecting travelers who dared to journey through the darkness. Before misfortune could befall the royal retinue, Ignis drove as quickly and safely as he could to Lestallum at the behest of his dear friend who wished for nothing more than to find respite amidst a special celebration.

“Alright! Festival time!” Prompto shouts excitedly, jumping from his seat in the Regalia the moment Ignis finished parking. He ran over to you and grabbed your hand when you stepped out of the car, dragging you away in a hurry. “C’mon, let’s go take a look at the stalls!”

“W-wait, Prompto!” You struggle to keep up with the boy suddenly jerking your body towards a huge crowd of people. Noctis jogs up beside the two of you and you can’t help laughing at the absolute joy plastered on both of their faces. “You’ve both been dying to get here, haven’t you?”

Noctis grins at you. “Like I’d pass up a chance to experience this. Besides we could use a damn break after fighting all those imperial outposts and daemons.”

Internally cringing at his words, you force the smile to remain on your face. “Yeah, that was something, wasn’t it…” Taking on those outposts had you freaking out internally that someone would recognize you. You were on edge the entire time, hiding your face and sticking to the shadows as much as possible. It was a good thing stealth was one of your strong points.

Ignis and Gladiolus catch up to the group when they come to a stop in front a stall filled with various costumes for the event. “Oh cool. Check it out, Noct! They have outfits for the new game!”

Before he could get closer, two acquaintances of theirs had flagged them down. A woman named Holly, and a scantly clad blonde named Cindy; from what you caught of the conversation. You were mostly tuning it out, your attention focused elsewhere among the crowd. Silently grabbing Noctis’ arm, you gently pull him toward you without taking your eyes off the object that had drawn your attention. “What is _that?_ ” You asked, captivated by a colossal tower where a man at the top was standing dangerously close to the edge, waving to the crowd.

It was like a switch flipped inside the young prince, his mouth moving faster than you’ve ever thought possible, eyes wide in astonishment of the spectacle before him. “That’s the Leap of Faith--a badass acrobatic jump that the assassins do from high places. It’s also a requirement to join the Brotherhood.” The smile that lit up his face while explaining it was something you’ve never seen on him before. A part of you wished to see him smile like that more often.

“A requirement for assassins huh.” You muse to yourself as you watch the brave man above about to take this ‘Leap of Faith’, applauding him for not being afraid to miss his mark. Noctis places something into your hands and you blink down at it, then at him, confused by the sudden gift in front of you. “What is this for?”

Noctis rolls his eyes. “It’s the robes of the legendary assassin order. Put it on. We’re gonna blend in so we don’t draw attention. Unfortunately it’s on loan for the festival, so enjoy it while you can.” He walks off to a changing room with a costume of his own, completely different from the one you were now holding.

You trace your fingers over the soft fabric, the color reminding you of your homeland. It was a white robe, an iconic symbol to the game series, given what you’d seen in a photo Prompto had shown you earlier. The picture was of a man wearing this selfsame robe, striking down a templar whose armor was disturbingly reminiscent of the imperial army in a way. Regardless of that uncomfortable comparison, you felt intrigued by the appearance and functionality of the assassin’s gear. Holding it close to your chest, you walk off to another room to try it on.

By the time you come out the others are all wearing matching outfits that were rather revealing in nature. Prompto had told you it was called the ‘Medjay Assassin’s robe’. It was a bold design that left you unable to take your eyes off Ignis’ exposed chest until you saw him shift awkwardly at your stare.

"Wow, these look just like the real thing!” The pure joy and excitement in Prompto’s voice made you giggle, watching him pose in front of his friends, snapping a few pictures.

"Is the real thing this _revealing?_ " Ignis inquires, clearly uncomfortable with the lack of his usual attire. It was strange, yet interesting to see him in something other than a suit or dress shirt ensemble.

Gladiolus laughs at his friend’s discomfort. “Somebody’s shy,” he teases with a grin, nudging the man’s arm with his elbow.

Ignis scoffs at his accusation. “ _Hardly_ ,” he denies as he tries to play it off. “It’s merely a…new sensation. I’m not usually one for clothing such as these.”

“You look great, Iggy,” you compliment shyly, his eyes snapping up to meet yours. You start to feel self-conscious as he continues to stare at you, a warm smile tugging at his lips.

“I dare say those robes suit you quite marvelously.” He moves closer to you and readjusts your hood, admiring the way it frames your face. “Almost as if you were born for it.”

The private jab at your mutual secret made you chuckle, pushing away his hands before you could blush any further. He was the only one who knew the truth about you and you intended for it to remain that way until you were ready to confess to the others. Thankfully Noctis and Prompto were still too caught up in admiring their own outfits to notice your interaction, and Gladiolus was looking away towards the two girls from before.

_Forever the playboy._

No matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t recall a time where Gladiolus _didn’t_ hit on a cute girl he’d met during your journey with them. You frown at his behavior, wondering just how loose the king’s shield really was when it came to sex. Not that you had any room to talk. You had your first time with the king’s advisor _in the woods, at night…_ Losing your patience and your temper had clouded your judgment when it came to timing, but Ignis was just as guilty of that. The only deference being that the encounter with him was one of _love_ , not lust.

Once the youngest members of the group were finished fan-boying over how detailed their costumes were, Prompto speaks up to grab everyone’s attention. “Okay, so where do we start?”

"I'll see you guys later. The ladies and I have got some catching up to do." Gladiolus states, waving you all off to go do his own thing. 

“Aw, c’mon man! And what are _we_ supposed to do?” He pouts at his friend, an irritated furrow forming on his brow when Gladiolus steps closer to Cindy.

Noctis pats Prompto’s shoulder. “We check out the festival. C’mon!” He turns to look for you and Ignis, only to find the man standing alone. “Hey, wait, where’s--?”

“Oh. Eem. Gee! Look!” Prompto shouted nervously as he pointed towards the tower, Noctis and Ignis following the direction.

Up near the center of the tower they see you climbing to the top. Ignis’ jaw dropped at the sight, scared for your safety, but equally impressed by your bravery to scale to such heights. When you whispered to him that you would ‘be right back’, he wasn’t expecting you to rush off into danger. Were you really intending to jump? Suddenly his throat felt as dry as a man dying in the desert.

When you reach the top, you feel your gut twisting at the sight of the distance from the ground. They were surely aiming for realism with this stunt, and while the attraction was impressive in nature, you were surprised the staff let you come up here. Or maybe they just hadn’t noticed and assumed you were a performer. Either way you didn’t care. A fear of heights was something you had struggled with for years, but thanks to your brother’s help, you had managed to start overcoming it. Tonight though, you planned to _conquer it_.

“Oh my god, no! He’s really gonna jump!” He pulls out his camera, half terrified, half excited, not wanting to miss the perfect shot to commemorate the occasion.

“Noct,” Ignis uttered grimly, gripping his young friend’s shoulder tightly. “If--”

“Don’t worry, I’ll break the fall if it comes to it,” he said with a smile, discreetly summoning his sword while moving into a position to catch you. “Gotta say I’m more impressed with him now than I’ve ever been. Takes guts to do that without a lifeline.”

"Awww, admit it Noct, you wanna do it too." Prompto teases, adjusting his camera lenses while keeping his eyes on you.

Noctis snorts at his friend’s comment. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” Funny how the dismissive tone of his voice didn’t match the smile on his face.

They watch in awe as you take the dive, the crowd below cheering you on while Prompto snaps several shots in rapid succession. You hit the hay barrel and the boy jumps for joy, pumping his fist in the air. He runs through the crowd, his friends following behind him to reach you.

Throwing yourself out of the barrel, you cough exaggeratedly, taking the hand Ignis had offered you. “ _Never again,_ ” you winced, brushing the hay off your costume.

“Dude, that was _epic!_ I can’t believe you actually jumped from all the way up there.” He shows you his camera and you smile proudly at the picture on the screen. “The way you dove down was more graceful than the first guy that jumped earlier. I’m totally keeping this one for the scrapbook.”

“Welcome to the Brotherhood.” Noctis says with a pleased smile, patting you on the back. “For a second there I thought I was gonna have to save you.”

“Trust me, my heart stopped on the way down,” you admitted, still trying to come down from the adrenaline high. “I’m also not sure I was allowed to do that, so let’s move before someone catches us.” You hastily walk back towards the booths to hide yourself from the crowd of onlookers.

Noctis’ stomach starts to growl loudly and all of you look at him with a knowing smile. “Guess we should stop and get some food first before looking around. Someone grab lover boy,” he sighs, gesturing towards Gladiolus.

Prompto huffs at the sight of Gladiolus still chatting with the blonde woman he affectionately dubbed ‘Goddess of the Gears’. “I’ll get him.” The annoyed tone in his voice spoke volumes to you about how jealous he was of the man right now.

You looked on to see Gladiolus none too happy about being interrupted, but excuses himself, reluctantly following behind Prompto. You think for a moment about where you all should set yourselves down for dinner, remembering the restaurant not that far from the hotel. Noctis agrees to your suggestion and the five of you start walking back up the road.

When you got back to the main street you were stopped dead in your tracks by the last person you ever expected to see in this city, coming up the road to your right. The others continued walking until they noticed you had fallen behind, a collective silence freezing you all in place when the figures came fully into view. The black, red and gold imperial suit of armor adorning a man flanked by a group of MTs struck fear into your heart. Ignis moved closer to you on instinct, Gladiolus stepping in front of Noctis to assume his role as his shield.

“At long last, we meet again.” A familiar voice rings out into the night, his blonde hair swaying gently in the breeze, blue eyes fixated on you. A devilish smirk twisting his lips at the sight of his quarry a few feet behind you. “You did well to bring them to me, brother. Allow me to handle the rest.”

Gladiolus turns to you with murder in his eyes. “You backstabbing son of a bitch!” He summons his blade and moves toward you. It kind of hurt to think that he actually believed you would betray them after all you’ve been through at their side. You didn’t even know that Loqi would be here.

“ _Silence_ , _cur_ , or I will remove your tongue for your insolence!” Loqi points his sword at Gladiolus in warning, the troopers at his side aiming their rifles at him to halt his movement. Thankfully Gladio was smart enough to take the threat seriously.

“Loqi, please calm down! We don’t have to fight each other. They’re not our enemy.” You try to plead with him, to make him see reason. Noctis was the only hope left for the world. Without him all of Eos would soon plunge into darkness. “The empire was wrong to steal the crystal, and if the rightful king doesn’t get it back, all of Eos is doomed. There will be no peace or salvation.”

“What is the meaning of this?” Loqi looked genuinely confused and appalled by your outburst. “How can you stand there and say this to me when you were the one sent to dispatch these heathens in my place! I may have been angered by the decision, but I took pride in the fact that they had chosen _you_ for the task.”

“It wasn’t my choice to take your place while you were healing! And I’ve learned much during my time with them.” You look around the group, all their eyes trained on you. Noctis and Prompto were quite unsettled by everything they were hearing, but Ignis gave you a gentle smile of encouragement to stay strong in the face of your family. Gladiolus just turned away from you, still sour about not figuring out who you were sooner.

You return your gaze to your brother, eyes and words full of certainty that you were making the right decision. “I know that they will be the ones to usher in true peace and happiness to the world. The empire would only bring us to ruin. These men are my friends, Loqi, and I will stand by their side.” You reach out your left hand to Ignis’, intertwining your fingers with his. “And I will stand beside the man that I love.”

When the words hit Loqi’s ears, his eyes burning like hellfire at the sight of your hand in the enemy’s, his patience finally explodes. “ _Savage!_ How dare you sully the name and body of my beloved family!” Loqi starts to move toward Ignis, but you’re quick to stand in his path and stop his approach before he could even get close to the man.

“Have you gone mad? You would stand against your own brother for this _wretch?!_ ” Loqi sounded furious and you couldn’t blame him for it. This was an act of treason in the eyes of the empire. There was no turning back from it now.

Drawing your sword, you ready yourself for a fight, your heart racing at the very thought of it. This is not how you wanted things to be. “I will protect my friends, brother. Even from you.”

“You wouldn’t dare brandish your blade against your own brother with the intent to _actually use it_. You’re not that heartless.” He sheaths his own sword and moves towards you, his eyes never leaving yours. “I’ve known you long enough to know that much.”

Feeling the pain in your heart bleeding through your body, you trembled more and more with each step he took. You didn’t want to do this, didn’t want to _hurt him_. You loved him just as much as you loved them. Memories of your childhood together fluttered through your mind, only adding to the pain. Where had the innocent boy you loved so dearly gone? 

_It was the empire’s fault._

“Your _pride_ blinds you, just as _greed_ has blinded the emperor! Do you think our people suddenly vanishing is a coincidence? That the increase in daemon activity is an accident?” You take a few steps closer to him, trying to steady the sword in your hands and the relentless beat of your heart. “Verstael is using them as guinea pigs for his research! How can you not see that?!”

Loqi stands in front of you, gently brushing away your blade with his hand to take another step closer. You put up no resistance at all, letting your arm fall to your side, still clutching the hilt tightly. “I see now…,” he responds softly as his right hand caresses the side of your face before pulling it toward him, resting your head against his armored chest. “They’ve poisoned your mind. I swear to you I will _fix_ that.” He strikes a firm blow to your solar plexus with his left fist before you can even react to his words, crumbling into his arms and losing consciousness. “I won’t allow them to _ruin you_ further.”

Ignis cries out your name, and Noctis is about to rush to your rescue before Gladiolus grabs a hold of him. The young prince tries to yank his arm out of his hold, but the behemoth of a man doesn’t relent. “Damn it, Gladio! Let go of me!”

Gladiolus starts pulling him away in a hurry. “Not a chance! We have to move!” Noctis still puts up a struggle, summoning his sword to ready himself for a warp-strike. Ignis however, grabs Noctis’ hand and lowers his sword.

“Gladio’s right, Noct. There are too many civilians about and those magitek troopers will not discriminate. We need to take this fight elsewhere.” He helps Gladiolus pull Noctis away from the area with Prompto following behind them.

Loqi places his attention back on his intended targets who were now attempting to flee. “After them!” Shouting the order to his troops, their eyes light up in recognition of his voice, commencing their pursuit of the prince and his entourage.

“B-but what about--?!” Prompto cuts himself off, looking back to you as they start to run faster, afraid for your safety and inability to defend yourself. He knew if he was in your shoes, he wouldn’t be able to kill his own brother either. He wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt. “We can’t just leave him!”

“I assure you no harm will come to him. If that display back there was any indication, Loqi would never strike down his own family, nor would he allow any other to do so.” Ignis wanted to believe that with all his heart. He paid close attention to that exchange and knew how much you cherished your sibling. You had spoken about it to him before after he discovered your secret. “I have been told by our friend that the two are quite close, though I was not aware the brother in question was Loqi.”

Noctis didn’t look pleased to hear that. “You _knew_ about this? When the hell were you planning on telling me?!” He shouted the words at his advisor, running alongside him to throw off the enemy, or lure them into a more secluded location if necessary.

Ignis sighed deeply. “A conversation for another time. At present we need to focus on locating a safe place to lay low until we come up with a plan of action. The city is far too crowded to have an all out brawl.” He leads the others into the back alleys, seeking out the best place to take cover. With any luck, fortune would favor them, allowing them to avoid the confrontation all together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Overprotective big bro Loqi is probably my favorite thing I’ve ever written for him so far. He’s adorable in his own way, and I’ve always believed that there is far more to his character than we actually got to see in-game. Especially after the info I saw about his part in the Dawn book. SE was lazy and didn’t do it so… *cracks knuckles* I guess I have to. xD
> 
> I actually have another story I wrote that goes a bit deeper into Loqi’s history and personality (at least my version of him), but that one is not finished yet.


	2. Family

You wake up to find yourself laying on a bed in an unfamiliar room, your hands tied behind your back, legs bound together at the ankle. You try to roll over, but the lingering pain in your abdomen makes you change your mind. “Where the hell am I…?”

“ _Safe_. That’s all that matters,” a familiar voice replies. It sounded rather close by.

You roll your eyes at the evasive answer, tilting your head down toward the end of the bed to find Loqi sitting there with his back to you. Clearly he hadn’t taken you far if he refused to tell you where you even were. You were almost certain he failed in capturing Noctis, given the fact that he seemed to have enough time to wait around patiently for you to awaken. “Why the hell am I tied up?”

Loqi stood up and moved around to the side of the bed, standing before you to give you his full attention. “Because I couldn’t trust you not to run off the moment you awoke to assist your… _‘friends’_. Do you realize how fortunate you are that I was the only one there to witness your traitorous words?”

“Loqi…” you sigh, meeting his disapproving gaze with a sad one of your own. “Please remove these damn ropes. I won’t run away.” You meant it. The two of you needed to have a serious conversion in a calm environment, and without Noctis around to rile him up, this was your only chance.

He knelt down next to the bed until he was eye level with you. “ _No._ ” You frowned at him and he sighed wearily, running his fingers through his hair as he straightened his posture again. He walked over to a nearby table and snatched the chair away from it, bringing it over to the bed to seat himself in front of you.

You quirk an eyebrow at him in curiosity of his behavior. “Is this suppose to be an interrogation or something?” Narrowing your eyes at him, you scoff at the cocky smirk forming on his face in response.

“Indulge me.” He leaned forward, his elbows pressed into his knees, hands interlocked to rest his chin there. “The accusations you spouted before regarding the empire, where have you heard such ridiculous slander? Did the Lucian prince fill your head with this nonsense?”

Grumbling under your breath, you exercise as much patience as you can, attempting to ignore the ropes biting into your wrists. “It has nothing to do with him, Loqi. I had my own suspicions long before I even arrived here. How the hell do you think we managed to force King Regis to even consider a peace treaty? Surely you’re aware of Verstael’s experimental research with daemons. He’s tampering with the very laws of nature! Daemons are a plague upon man that shouldn’t be utilized for war, yet he continues unfazed, greedy for more.”

Sliding your legs over the bed to try and get yourself in an upright position, you struggle to raise yourself, but Loqi is quick to help you up before returning to his seat. “I did my own investigation in secret near the magitek research facility in the outlands of Niflheim before Insomnia fell and--”

“Are you insane?!” Loqi looked at you as if you really had lost your mind. “Why would you go there without a legitimate reason?! If they--!”

“ _Don’t cut me off!_ ” You glared at him and he shut his mouth, letting his body sag back down into a comfortable position in the chair. “I found a small building quite a ways from the facility, but no one was there. When I took a look around inside I found a very disturbing and incriminating piece of evidence written in a journal. It seems to have belonged to someone who worked under Verstael. The bastard was intentionally infecting workers for his experiments, Loqi.”

Agitated by your words, Loqi stood up and towered over you, studying you carefully. “And how exactly does that prove anything?” The tone of his voice was angry, disbelieving of your statement. “You uncover a few notes in a journal and suddenly it’s fact?”

Glaring up at him, you stand your ground. You know in your heart it’s true whether he chooses to believe it or not. “ _It is._ I know that if I had infiltrated the facility itself I would’ve found far more than that. You can’t stand there and tell me that you don’t believe a single word I’ve said to you, now and before.”

His expression softens. “I can see that _you_ believe it. _I_ on the other hand need more proof than that.” He brushes his fingers against your cheek, soothing your ire toward his stubborn demeanor. “It’s not that I don’t trust your words, only that I cannot simply follow them without witnessing these crimes for myself. You know how devoted I am to our home.”

You _do_. You’ve always known he’d give his life for Gralea. You would’ve too, if only for his sake. You were even willing to fulfill your duty to kill the prince of Lucis to unify the lands until you had learned that the enemy was no different than you. And that the Lucian prince himself held the fate of Eos in his hands.

Loqi cuts away the ropes to free your feet and hands, examining the irritated flesh on your wrists with remorse. He hadn’t meant for it to hurt you. “As it stands, to raise my sword against Verstael, is to raise it against the empire itself. Unless the emperor wills it, I can do nothing without repercussions…”

He grasps your face with both hands and pulls you to him, placing a kiss on your forehead. “I can’t ask you to forgive me, but I do want to remind you that I care for you with all my heart and will not allow any harm to come to you.” He pulls you into his arms and holds you tightly, fearing the future of the path you have chosen. No matter how badly he wants to return you to Gralea, he knows it will only get you killed. You’re as stubborn as he is when you set your mind on something.

“I’m the one who should be saying that to you,” you laugh softly against his chest, content to stay like this for as long as you can. You had been so worried about his wellbeing while you were away during his recovery. If you could help it, you didn’t want him fighting Noctis ever again.

When you step away from each other you instantly remember something important that slipped your mind during his inquiry. “Where is my sword?!” Your eyes dart around the room in a panic, afraid that it was left behind on the street.

Loqi laughs at the look on your face and points towards the front door of the room, watching you as you turn toward it, the tension in your body relaxing at the sight of your prized possession leaning against the wall. “As if I would abandon the very gift I had forged for you.”

You smiled at the memory, picking it up to strap it back on. “It has served me well, thank you.”

“To think you had the nerve to aim it in my direction,” he chides, “I feel as though I have somehow failed you as a brother.”

Biting your lip at his words, you stare down at the floor, unable to look at him. You were ashamed of your actions, but you couldn’t think of what else to do in that heated moment. You have to protect them, no matter the cost to your own life.

Loqi sighs irritably at your silence and you hear him shift in place. “Tell me something…,” he begins, reaching toward you to tuck his finger under your chin and force you to look at him. “What did you mean when you said Noctis is the one who will ‘usher in true peace’ to the world? And about the emperor’s mistake in stealing the crystal from Insomnia?”

Taking his hand in yours, you finally look into his eyes like he wanted you to. “During my time in the lands of Lucis, I learned of a prophecy involving the Oracle and the True King. Noctis is the one the crystal chose. Without him, when the sky falls into eternal darkness, our world will be overrun by daemons.”

“And you believe this prophecy?” He asked skeptically.

You nod to him as you answer. “For the most part, yes. I do believe Noctis will be able to rid us of the starscourge with the power of that crystal.”

He gently removes his hand from yours, taking a step back. “Then if he is truly worthy of such a task, consider my business here as putting him to the test.” You opened your mouth to speak, but he silenced you with a finger. “If he is what you say, then he should not fall to me. Don’t expect me to go easy on him though.”

“I’m not just worried about him, brother. I’m worried about _you_ ,” you say sincerely. “I don’t want you getting hurt again.”

He smirks and heads toward the exit. “I don’t intend to die here, if that’s what you’re thinking.” He opens the door and steps inside, turning back to you one last time. “But I would ask of you not to involve yourself in this particular battle. I would not be able to bear the guilt if I were to accidentally harm you…or worse.”

_Please be careful, brother._

The words tear through your heart and mind as you watch him go, praying for his safety. You could only hope that Noctis and the others would make an effort to spare him now that they know what he means to you. Digging into your pocket to grab your smartphone, you unlock the screen and send a message to Ignis to find out where they’ve gone.

_**You** \- Is everyone alright? Where did you go?_

You wait a few moments as patiently as you can, heart skipping a beat when the notification rings with a new message.

_**Iggy** \- Before I answer that, I have a question for you: What is my preferred beverage?_

You giggle at the question knowing full well why he had asked it. It was a security measure to make sure he was actually talking to you.

_**You** \- I do believe you can’t even survive without your beloved Ebony. Especially when you have to baby-sit the boy band every day of your life from now on. ;3_

_**Iggy** \- Indeed. Sometimes it is a headache that never goes away, but for the most part our journey together has been quite enjoyable._

_**Iggy** \- I’m glad to know that you’re well. Are you still with Loqi?_

_**You** \- No. We made peace and he left a moment ago, though I doubt he’s any more thrilled about me dating you than he was before. lol That didn’t actually come up in conversation, but be careful. I know my brother and he’s never been nice towards anyone attempting to court me. “Fight me” is practically his catch phrase. xD_

_**Iggy** \- I’ll keep that in mind. We are currently at the Leville devising a plan of action concerning your brother. It seems he has set up some sort of jamming device to interfere with the power of kings. Perhaps you can enlighten us further when you arrive?_

_**You** \- I think I might know what you’re talking about. I’ll be there as soon as I can and make sure I’m not followed along the way. I doubt my brother would stoop that low though, seeing as he could’ve just used me as bait, but didn’t. He has more honor than that, and he knows I’d never forgive him for it._

_**Iggy** \- Do be careful. We are all concerned for your safety, even if Gladio is still a bit sore about not knowing who you are. He’s taken it as a personal blow to his pride as Noct’s shield. I’m sure he will come around in time._

You smile at the screen, imagining their worried faces. You’ve never had so many people care for you the way they did--the way your brother did. It left a warm feeling inside your heart.

Placing the phone back in your pocket, you pull up the hood of your assassin’s robe and head out the door, sticking to the shadows and blending with the crowds until you could reach your destination.

When you arrived at the hotel you spotted two MTs stationed at the front entrance. Opting to take a detour, you quietly slipped into the window of the room that you knew Noctis and the others were staying in. As soon as you made it through the window, Prompto perked up and jumped you like a puppy happy to see it’s master return home.

“You’re back!” He says as he tackles you in a hug, nearly knocking you off your feet. “I’m so glad you’re safe. I couldn’t stop thinking about how I’d never get to see you again.”

You pet his hair, not sure how to take this reaction from him seeing as the last time you had been together they had all heard the truth of your origins. “I-I’m glad to see you guys are okay too.”

He let go of you and that charming smile of his melted your heart. The boy truly was sunshine incarnate. “Man, who would’ve thought you were _actually_ an assassin. That’s awesome! A little scary, but totally awesome,” he comments cheerfully, snapping a picture of you with your hood still up.

His joyful attitude and praise had you blushing unintentionally. You weren’t used to this kind of attention from anyone other than Loqi, and he was never _this_ enthusiastic about it. Not since childhood. Not to mention you were baffled by how he could still be so happy with your presence after knowing the truth.

The tall burly man in the corner of the room catches your eye and you return his gaze. Gladiolus simply nods to you without a word and looks away. 

_Guess he’s still got that stick up his butt, but acknowledgement is progress at least._

Noctis’ voice breaks the brief silence that had filled the space around you. “So, Iggy said you might know what the hell is going on with my powers?”

You turn to face the raven haired boy, ready and willing to answer all questions he may have. “I believe it’s the Wallbreaker Wave. It’s the only device I know of that can shut down Lucian magic, and has apparently even managed to have an enfeebling effect on astrals.”

“ _Great_ ,” he replied sarcastically. “At least I can still warp…”

“You need to be careful though. Knowing Loqi he probably brought one of his toys along to play with you.” You laugh at the annoyed expression Noctis gives you. There was no doubt in your mind that fighting magitek armor without the use of his powers was going to be a challenge for him. “I don’t think he’s going to go easy on you at all, but Noct…” Moving closer to the bed where he’s sitting, you kneel down before him in a proper Lucian bow to their royalty. “Please, if it comes to it, I beg you to spare my brother. He’s a stubborn idiot who’s blindly devoted to his people, but he’s a good man.”

Noctis shifted uncomfortably at the gesture, not at all used to the ‘royal treatment’ as he always called it. “C-cut it out! You know I don’t like that crap.” You look at him with a soft smile and he blushes, turning away from you and rubbing at the hair on the back of his neck nervously. “I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try.”

You stand back up and ruffle his hair, much to his dismay. He swats at your hand and you can’t help laughing at how adorable he is. “It’s more than I can ask for, and…I’m sorry for…” You hang your head in shame for the second time that day, hating the fact that you had ever let the thought of hurting him even cross your mind in the past. Yes, it was your mission, but it wasn’t what _you_ wanted. Not anymore. “For being the person that was sent to kill you.”

Noctis sighs and stands up, slapping your shoulder to snap you out of it. “Jeez, enough already.” Raising your head to look at him, you find a gentle smile gracing his features. “You’re one of us now.” He turns to his advisor with a wry grin. “Right, Ignis?”

Ignis adjusts his glasses, trying to cover up the slight flush on his cheeks. The others had been teasing him about your relationship nonstop during your absence, forcing him to clarify the details of the prior encounter with Loqi. It seems his young prince, soon to be full-fledged king, was not done with him yet. “Quite.”

You and Ignis share a quick glance at one another, silently communicating your feelings before turning back to the task at hand. “Now then, I believe our only plan of action concerning this Wallbreaker wave is to infiltrate the power plant and disable the device they’ve placed inside. Before that however, we’ll need to acquire the last keycard that Loqi has stolen from Holly.”

Gladiolus crossed his arms over his chest, staring at Ignis questioningly. “And we’re supposed to do all this _without_ the power of kings on our side?”

Prompto hopped out of his chair, triggering the hidden blade attached to the wrist of his medjay assassin attire. “Dude, we’re _assassins_ now! We can handle this!”

Groaning, Gladiolus shakes his head and steps out of the room, checking to see if the magitek troopers were still blocking the entrance to the hotel.

Ignis ignores the man’s departure, keeping his mind focused on the mission. "Noct, you and Prompto should scout out Loqi's location from the tower in front of the main thoroughfare. Do try your best not to draw any attention."

"Got it." Noctis leapt out of the window, his face lit up in excitement like the Assassin’s fan-boy he truly is. Prompto follows after him, giving you and Ignis a thumbs up before climbing down.

“He really loves those games doesn’t he? Never met a prince like him before,” you muse as you turn away from the window to give Ignis your undivided attention.

“He truly is one of a kind,” Ignis replies with a loving smile. “For as long as I have known him, he’s never once acted his role in a traditional sense.” The fondness in Ignis’ eyes struck a cord in your heart, aching at the thought of you and your brother as children growing up in Gralea. Ignis seemed to take notice of your distress and slowly approached you, carefully running his fingers through your hair in an attempt to comfort. “Are you all right?”

Sighing, you lean into his touch, trying to stave off the unease in your heart. “Loqi asked me to stay out of this fight, and I’d like to respect that, but…” You take Ignis’ hand in yours and place his palm against your heart. “I’m afraid for both of them. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

He pulls you into his arms, placing a gentle kiss to your temple. “If your brother is the man you say he is, I believe Noct will heed your request.” He lets go of you, his fingers brushing softly against your cheek before his arm falls to his side. “Gladio and I will escort Cindy to the power plant. I would prefer that you remain here until we return.”

Nodding quietly, you move to sit on the bed where Noctis had been, his warmth still lingering in the sheets. You watch Ignis go without a word, hoping that everything will be alright. In all honesty, you wanted to fight, but you couldn’t ignore your brother’s request. He wanted to test Noctis _alone_ , and you wanted to give them both the opportunity to prove themselves to one another. If it would end Loqi’s need for vengeance against him, you had to take that chance.


	3. Honor

Having spotted Loqi from up high, Noctis and Prompto carefully made their way through the city, all the while trying to keep a low profile. There were still civilians walking about, providing a decent amount of cover for the two of them since they were all still in costume. It seemed even the empire’s presence couldn’t dampen the celebration.

“There he is.” Prompto whispers to his friend, spotting Loqi walking through one of the many narrow paths between the tall buildings. 

“Time to take him down.” Noctis moves closer to the building to peek around the corner, watching for which direction the man intended to take. Two of the magitek troopers patrolling the area make themselves known, now blocking the path in front of them. “Ugh, these guys are everywhere.”

Prompto quickly looks around for an alternative route and spots a path blocked off by a few crates. They were stacked up well enough to climb over without too much trouble. He pats his friend’s back to get his attention. “Not over here. C’mon!”

The two of them rush their way over the obstacles as fast as they can, trying their best not to lose their target. They run down the alleyway only to be stopped by another MT. “Damn it,” Noctis cursed under his breath, holding his hand out to stop Prompto from advancing. He activates the hidden blade on his left wrist, sneaking up behind the oblivious soldier and jamming it into a vulnerable spot on the back of it’s head. The MT spasms and falls to the ground, the lights of it’s eyes dying out slowly.

Prompto looks down to the lifeless MT, a feeling of remorse welling up inside his heart. “They bring these troopers to life just to let ‘em die… It’s kinda sad, y’know?”

The young prince looks back to his friend with a raised brow, wondering why he would even say something like that. “What’s so sad about a bunch of robots getting their circuits fried?”

Prompto bites his lip, the words cutting him deeper than he thought they would. “‘Robots’... Right.” His friend didn’t know the truth, and he couldn’t blame him for it. Nor could he be the one to tell him.

Noctis was confused by the sad expression that suddenly overtook his best friend’s face. It was just a machine. _Yeah, Prom loves technology, but it’s just a bunch of parts pieced together_ , he thought. “What?” He couldn’t comprehend this change in behavior given the fact that they’ve destroyed many MTs already during the course of their journey.

“Nothin’! Just saying you’re right.” He laughs it off, trying to hide his true feelings on the matter. “C’mon, we gotta hurry before we lose him.”

Deciding not to push the subject any further, Noctis follows behind him looking around for the direction Loqi had disappeared to. He just barely catches a glimpse of him heading down another alleyway. Gritting his teeth at the large group of people in front of him, Noctis was starting to lose his patience. "I can’t let him get away!"

Prompto places his hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him. “Go on without me. I’ll lead all these people away from here just incase things get ugly.” Noctis gives him a nod and they hurry toward the crowd. Prompto manages to convince the people to head over to a nearby attraction for the festival, effectively shepherding them out of harms way while Noctis chases after his target.

When he rounds the corner, he tries his best to sneak up on Loqi as quietly as possible, but the man is far too aware of his surroundings, turning around to face him before he could get too close. “Who are you?”

Noctis smiles at him mischievously. “Just your friendly neighborhood assassin,” he replies humorously, acting as if he wasn’t about to just tackle the man.

Loqi chuckles at the nonsense despite himself. “Don’t make me laugh.” He motions toward him, signaling his nearby troops to attack. “Now! Kill him!” He runs away as two MTs drop down from the building next to them, readying themselves to gun down the prince.

Cursing yet again, Noctis quickly shoves them both to the ground before they can orient themselves and chases after him. “You can’t escape! But you sure can run.” He wasn’t kidding either. Loqi was forcing him to run at full speed, his calves burning from the strain. He weaved through the buildings, warping occasionally to keep up with the man. MTs continued raining down from the buildings and he couldn’t help but wonder where the hell they were all coming from. At least until he noticed a few of the empire’s airships moving in toward the city.

A warning began blaring over the loudspeakers positioned throughout Lestallum. “Attention: this is an emergency. All civilians should evacuate immediately.” The warning continuously repeats itself as the danger draws near.

 _There goes the neighborhood_ , he thought to himself. He needed to end this mess quickly before it was too late. If the empire wanted to, they could level the entire place and it would be _his fault_ because they were after _him_. “Damn it!” He growls, pushing himself harder to catch up to the escapee.

By the time he reaches him, Loqi turns a corner only to find himself at a dead end. _Perfect._ Noctis tackles him to the ground, blade positioned at Loqi’s throat as he feels around his armor for the keycard and reclaims it. He smiles triumphantly at the man beneath him, pleased with himself that he’d finally achieved his goal. “I’ve got what I need. Now you need to get out of here.”

To Noctis’ surprise Loqi smirks back up at him like nothing was wrong. “As if I would truly flee from the likes of you. Are you finished at playing Assassin yet, Your Highness?”

The raven haired prince laughs, only mildly surprised that the man was able to recognize him with the hood of his costume still covering most of his face. “You’re sharper than I thought.”

“Sharp enough to know _you_ would come for the keycard,” he replied smugly. Without warning he grabbed Noctis and used his own body to flip the boy behind him, allowing himself to quickly rise back to his feet. Their positions were now reversed, the prince trapped by the building behind him. “And now my men are coming for you.” The familiar clanking of metal grew louder as a large group of magitek troopers flood the confined space, taking their positions behind their leader. “Any last words?”

Noctis stares in disbelief, stupefied by the sudden power shift. He thought he’d had the upper hand, but Loqi was one step ahead of him. It was obvious to him now that he had planned all this from the start. It was a trap and he walked right into it.

“Get him!” Loqi motions for his soldiers to move in, reveling in the panic he sees rising on the prince’s face.

“ _Shit_...I’m trapped!” Noctis looks around frantically, trying to find an escape route. A ledge above him catches his eyes and he takes a chance on it before it’s too late. He summons his sword and quickly launches it toward the top of the building behind him. It embeds itself near the rooftop and he warps to it without hesitation, swinging himself to another nearby roof.

_Well, that could’ve gone better._

The prince rushes across the rooftops with MTs in tow, dodging a hail of bullets from behind him. “Can’t you see I’m busy? Fuck off!” He shouts at the troopers that continue to rain down from the sky, attempting to block his path as he makes his way toward the power plant.

_I can’t let Loqi get there before I do!_

The moment he’s able to lose the troopers hunting him, he hurries towards the plant as fast as he can, finding his friends waiting for him at the front gate. “I got the keycard.” He holds it out to Cindy, hunched over and breathing heavily, trying to let his body rest for a bit from the intense exercise.

Ignis rubs at the boy’s back both as a gesture for a job well done and as a means to ease his tension. He turns to the others, contemplating their next move. “Which of us will be providing backup for Cindy? It’s too dangerous to send her alone.”

Prompto immediately bounces over to her side determined to see the task through. He couldn’t pass up a chance to impress his goddess. “I, Prompto Argentum, solemnly swear to protect Lady Cindy with my life!”

Cindy giggles at his eagerness and no one protests against it. “Well, keep an eye out for me then, will ya?” The two of them open the gate and run toward the building, hoping to end this madness before the entire city falls to ruin.

A large magitek armor drops down from the sky behind Noctis and the others, a different model from the one he’d fought before. He rolls his eyes at the fact that you were right. Loqi seemed to favor MAs more than hand-to-hand combat. “Y’know, this feels a little unfair…” He grumbles to his friends.

Gladiolus laughs, slapping Noctis’ back. “This coming from the guy who’s decimated the imperial army with the power of kings on more than one occasion. You’ll just have to deal with the handicap until Cindy shuts that piece of junk down in there.”

“On your guard, gentleman.” Ignis readies himself for battle, each one of them summoning their weapons at the same time. This fight was going to be tricky given that their weapons were struggling to maintain their form, but they had to hold him off until they were back at full power.

"Requiescat in pace, Your Highness!" Loqi laughs sadistically, taking aim at the prince and his companions. His new MA, the Hoplomachus, was equipped with two flamethrowers for hands, which he was more than happy to use. He decided against launching the missiles at it’s back given the tight space of the area. It was too much of a risk to his own armor.

He began his assault by aiming for the prince himself, flames like hellfire raining down on the enemies below. They all dodged out of the way, Noctis trying his best not to get caught up in it. The prince was forced on the defensive, while his friends attempted to attack the leg on the opposite side of the MA. He didn’t give them the chance, activating the flames on the right side of his mech as well, aiming it in their direction. “Not so tough now, are you?”

They escape behind him, forcing Loqi to reposition the MA to face them. Noctis takes his chance to attack the exposed leg while there was still an opening, but he only manages to cut at it a few times before his sword starts phasing out. The frustration inside him was starting to build. “Says the guy hiding inside a tin can!”

The flames come down on him again and Noctis barely dodges it’s path, the ends of his costume singed to a crisp. “Looks like you’re having a little trouble there!” Loqi mocks him, thoroughly pleased with knocking the young prince down a peg after his last encounter with him. He knows the boy is feeling hopeless right now, and that’s exactly what he wanted. To make him feel the same humiliation he had to suffer the first time the two of them had fought each other.

“We shouldn’t have sent Prompto with her.” Gladiolus groans at the lack of his ability to attack. It was times like these that he almost wished he didn’t have to summon his sword. A greatsword may be difficult to carry around, but right now he’d prefer that over practically being defenseless.

“Have a little faith.” Ignis tries to reassure him even though he himself is questioning just how long they’ll be able to hold out like this. They couldn’t simply flee the area. Doing so would put either the power plant or the city in more danger than it was already in.

Evading another attack from Loqi, Noctis growls in frustration. He knew his friend wouldn’t fail him, but he wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep himself from becoming barbecue. “It may take him a while, but he always comes through in the end.” He could only hope that sounded convincing enough to keep their morale up.

As if his friend had heard his words the power of kings surged through his body once again at full capacity. “They did it!” Noctis and his friends smiled to each other, ready to retaliate against the MA with a vengeance. They all begin attacking the mech with fervor, the prince summoning his spear and launching himself into the air to strike down at the joints in it’s shoulders.

Loqi couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “The jamming device went offline! But how?” The device was designed to be difficult to disengage or dismantle easily. How had they managed to shut it down already? His plan was beginning to fall apart, struggling to keep up with the evasive and aggressive maneuvers of his opponents. It was like watching his first battle with them all over again.

The MA took massive amounts of damage in a matter of minutes, limbs being ripped from it’s body every time they focused on it’s joints. He was left with no choice, he had to bail out before it took enough damage to trigger an explosion. He was far from finished with this fight and refused to flee. The prince had yet to be truly tested. The MA was on it’s knees and he took the chance to open the hatch and jump down while they were behind it. Drawing his sword, he turned towards his foe as they noticed his exit.

“Not running away this time?” His voice makes it sound like a joke, but Noctis was glaring at him like he wanted to kill him. This whole mess had gotten on his last nerve. Loqi had ruined the festival not only for himself, but everyone else in this city. Add on the fact that the man nearly burned him alive and it was safe to say he was officially pissed.

“As I said before, I will not run from you.” Loqi narrowed his eyes and pointed his sword toward the prince. “I, Brigadier General Loqi Tummelt, challenge you to a duel, _Noctis Lucis Caelum._ ”

The prince scoffs. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.” He was getting tired of this charade, but Loqi looked deadly serious. He had no desire to kill this man, but it seemed he was never going to leave him alone unless he put him in his place. “ _Fine._ I accept.”

Loqi smirks at him like he’s won the fight already. His friends on the other hand rush to his side like they intend to stop him. “Are you sure that’s wise?” Ignis places his hand on his friend’s shoulder, concerned that he had already exerted himself beyond his limits.

“I’m fine, Iggy,” he reassures him while summoning his sword. “Just stand back with Gladio. I can handle this. With any luck, he’ll stop chasing us after I kick his ass.” The confident tone of his voice had Ignis smiling and he stepped away, giving him the space he needed.

“Today, I will have my revenge!” Loqi declares his desire for victory as he launches himself at the prince, and Noctis takes the blow, their swords clashing together violently.

“Is revenge the only damn thing you care about?” He shoves Loqi back and unleashes a flurry of his own attacks, Loqi surprisingly managing to parry every single one. They’ve never fought each other face-to-face before and Noctis was starting to learn there was more to the General than he initially anticipated.

Noctis tried to catch him off guard by warping above him, but Loqi’s eyes are quick to follow his movement, dodging the aerial strike before it even got close to him.

_Damn he’s fast._

“Is that the best you’ve got?!” Loqi doesn’t let up, taking the opening Noctis had provided him, lightly rending the flesh of his left arm just before he warped out of the way. The raven haired prince was now several feet away from him, glaring at him after checking the damage of his arm. Loqi smirked at him again, feeling a sense of fulfillment at the prince’s lack of perfection. “Are you a coward or a king? Then again, your father was a king who died a coward. He even sacrificed his own people to save his son. _Pathetic._ ”

This set Noctis off, coming at him even harder than before. His plan succeeded. He didn’t want the prince to hold back, and he knew insulting his father would provoke him. This was a test after all. More than that it was a battle to reclaim his honor. He had failed against the prince once already, he would not allow himself to repeat that mistake again.

The battle raged on for what felt like hours, matching each other blow for blow. Overtime their bodies became worn and ragged, blood dripping down their skin from several places. Prompto had rejoined his friends, forced to stand back and watch as the battle continued. The more he was injured, the more the others wanted to get involved, but Noctis had ordered them all to stand down. This was _his fight_ and he was going to see it through to the end.

In his rage Noctis had forgotten your words, your plea for mercy on your brother’s behalf. Summoning the power of his armiger his blades swirled around him, and with a flick of his wrist they rained down upon their target. 

Loqi did his best to dodge several of the weapons that threatened his existence, but an axe had caught him on his left side, ripping through his armor and his flesh. Had it been any farther to his right he’d be dead right now. That didn’t seem to matter though because another sword was descending toward him, ready to pierce his chest. His breathing ragged, body becoming weaker with each passing second, he willed himself to move, using his sword as a crutch in a pitiful attempt to pull himself into standing. Moments away from death, he stared down the shining blade that would end his life.

The end didn’t come. A figure rushed in front of him, the sound of steel clashing together ringing in his ears. A white robe that seemed all too familiar flowing as if in slow motion. He hears someone yelling furiously, but he can’t register the words at the moment, too captivated by the being before him. They turn around to face him and he comes back to his senses at the sight of the crying face that he knows and loves.

“Loqi, you _idiot!_ ” His hand trembles in front of him, a magic potion clutched within it. It’s crushed against his body, particles of green light enveloping him. “This won’t heal you completely, but it should help with the pain and stop the bleeding for now.” He wipes the tears from his eyes and proceeds to help him to his feet. “You promised you wouldn’t die on me…”

Loqi chuckles weakly, half in self-disgust at his failure, half in ironic amusement that you would be the one to save him. “Forgive me, brother. I did not expect this outcome.” He heard you sob again and suddenly his own pride no longer mattered. He was breaking your heart, and for what? To prove to himself that he was strong? To prove to you that the prince was unworthy so you would return home? He didn’t know anymore, but he did know that the prince had proven himself capable, and that was enough to end his desire for revenge.

The others didn’t dare speak a word to you, watching you drag away your injured brother toward the hotel while following several feet behind you. Noctis looked ashamed of himself. Prompto and Ignis seemed desperate to assist you, but unsure of whether or not it would be appropriate. Gladiolus scratched at the back of his head sighing heavily at how this entire ‘break’ had managed to turn into a disaster.

Back at your hotel room, you sat your brother down on the bed, helping him carefully remove his armor to tend to his wounds. You had grabbed the medical kit from the bathroom hoping that it would be enough for everything. Dowsing a cloth with antiseptic, you got to work on cleaning up the larger injury that would require a few stitches before tending to the rest. Loqi hissed in pain, but said nothing and tried his best to stay still. You pushed him to lay down and got to work sewing up the large gash at the left side of his body. “How the hell did this happen…?”

Loqi huffs a laugh, feeling the stupidity of his own actions. “Regretfully, I seem to have angered His Highness enough to warrant throwing his entire arsenal at me all at once. I took an axe to the side.” He sees the tremble in your lips and the glassy tears threatening to spill from your eyes again when you look at him, and it wrenches his heart in his chest. “I’m fine, brother. Thanks to you…” He tries to reassure you with his smile, but it doesn’t seem to help.

Shaking your head in an attempt to wipe away the imagery and emotions, you refocus on patching him up, finishing the stitches and applying bandages. He sits back up to help you bandage his arms and legs, somewhat disgusted with himself that he’d taken so many injuries in the battle. If High Commander Ravus could see him now he’d be disappointed. You had always warned him that his brash behavior would be his undoing if he didn’t learn to control it. _Lesson learned._ He was going to make an effort to ensure this doesn’t happen again. He’s had enough of history repeating itself.

There’s a knock at the door, but they don’t wait for an answer. The door opens to reveal Ignis stepping inside, now dressed back in his usual crownsguard suit instead of the medjay costume he had been forced into for the festival. The moment he shut the door behind him, Loqi’s eyes were tracking him like a lion about to maul an uninvited guest intruding upon it’s den. If looks could kill the man would be dead within seconds.

He’s on his feet in a rush, ignoring his injuries and pushing you aside. You call out his name, but it falls on deaf ears, grabbing Ignis’ shirt and slamming him against the wall. “I should kill you where you stand,” he growls at Ignis, forced to look up at the man begrudgingly. He was a few inches taller than him, but the size difference didn’t intimidate him in the slightest. In fact, it only served to irritate him further. 

Loqi was already livid that this man had managed to sweep you off your feet in such a short amount of time, and in a place where he was unable to protect you. What’s worse, he was a _Lucian_ , the very thing he’d been taught to despise at a young age. He was your lesser--an inferior being unworthy of your presence--just like all the others. He had thwarted off so many lecherous aristocrats who only cared for your status and beauty, each of which you yourself had no interest in, but now of all people you could’ve given your hand to, it had to be a guardian of his sworn enemy.

He glared daggers at the man before him. “Your name was Ignis, correct? Are you not the ‘Hand’ of His Highness?” Ignis entertained him with a simple nod and Loqi’s fists clenched more tightly around the fabric of his shirt. “Then tell me: Why is it that the Hand of the King decided it was a good idea to court an imperial commander of Niflheim? The very same commander that was sent to _assassinate your king._ ”

Ignis looked away from Loqi, training his eyes on you as he answered the question. “Every waking moment we spent together are memories I cherish more than any other. I never knew the feeling of true love until I laid eyes upon the beauty of his soul. Intelligent, strong, chivalrous, and kindhearted to a fault, your brother is a blessing upon this world that I am thankful to have ever had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with.” 

You blushed at his words and he smiled at you fondly, suddenly finding himself no longer talking to Loqi, but to you, pouring out his heart and soul. “I feared I was not worthy of your love, nor did I dare to suspect you felt the same. My heart ached for you each time you were near me, wanting to express my feelings, yet unable to find the words. Then you revealed to me the secrets within your own heart, and I do not regret a single moment. I would have no other at my side.”

“Oh, spare me your romantic prattle.” Loqi grumbled, regaining Ignis’ attention. He looked to the man sternly, hell-bent on making his point clear. “You are the Hand of the King. Your _duty_ is to _him_ , first and foremost. Do you honestly think you would have the time to satisfy the needs of my brother?”

The words pierced deeply into Ignis’ heart. It was something he himself had been worried about. As the king’s advisor he was honor bound to remain at his side for as long as he is needed-- _whenever_ he is needed. His personal life would always come last and that unsettled him to the point that he had never once pursued a relationship with anyone…until he met _you_.

A barely noticeable hint of stress wormed it’s way into Ignis’ features, causing you to finally speak up. “Loqi! That’s _enough_.”

Loqi looks over his shoulder at you briefly, but chooses to ignore your interference, instead turning his attention back to the man on trial. “What’s wrong, Ignis? Do you not have an answer?” He said smugly, feeling as though he had finally proven that the man in front of him was unworthy of being your significant other, assuming your relationship would even make it that far.

Ignis narrowed his eyes down at your brother, a look of determination burning within them. “While I may be devoted to Noctis as his royal advisor and friend, I will do the utmost to ensure that the love of my life does not become unsatisfied with my presence. It would break my heart to see him unhappy, therefore I will strive to never allow it to occur. My answer may not satisfy you, but I assure you I would sooner die than disappoint my beloved.”

Loqi snorts. “ _Good._ Because if you _do_ break his heart, I will find you and _I will kill you._ ” He releases Ignis’ shirt and backs away. “Don’t _ever_ forget that.”

You grab Loqi by the arm, not giving him a chance to confront Ignis any further. “That’s enough out of you.” He huffs and lets you drag him back toward the bed to sit him down. “You’re bleeding again, you fool.” He looks away from you dismissively and you sigh as if the whole world was crushing you with it’s weight. You could almost swear he would never outgrow this stubbornness. Ignoring his petulance, you look back to Ignis. “I’m sorry, Ignis. Was there something you needed?”

“Actually,” Ignis begins as he readjusts his glasses, holding up a bag he had brought with him. “I thought you might be in need of more medical supplies to tend his wounds, so I went to the market to fetch extra bandages and antiseptics.”

You look back to Loqi who was scowling and trying to hide the flush on his cheeks. You smirked at the obvious embarrassment toward his own behavior a moment ago, hearing him mumble a faint ‘at least he’s useful’ before completely looking away. “Thank you, Ignis. He was raised with manners, but his pride pilots his speech. It’s a shame really.”

“Thank _you_ for kicking me while I’m down, dear brother.” Loqi pouts at you, his voice full of sarcasm, feeling slightly betrayed by your words.

Ruffling his hair, you lean in and kiss his cheek to comfort him. “I’m not the one that put your foot in your mouth, _dear brother_. Ignis was doing something nice for you, the least you could do is apologize.”

He looked to Ignis, only slightly regretful, but his stance towards him remained stern. “I meant every word that I said. I _will_ kill you if you fail, but…I thank you for your consideration toward my injuries.”

Ignis smiled wryly at him and moved over toward the bed to assist you. “Think nothing of it.”

Despite Loqi’s apprehension of letting Ignis anywhere near you or himself, at your urging, he allowed the man to aid you in tending to his wounds. You forced him to stay and rest for awhile, taking him back to his ship the following morning for his return trip to Niflheim. You hated the thought of him going back there, worried that somehow he might contract the scourge because of Verstael’s madness, but you couldn’t stop him. He had a duty he needed to fulfill and so did you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas everyone~


	4. Friendship

After the events of the previous night, you barricaded yourself in your hotel room. Ignis had tried to reach out to you, but your heart just wouldn’t let you answer him, instead pretending to still be asleep to avoid conversation. It took awhile, but eventually you heard him sigh behind the door and walk away. It hurt to hear him make that sound, but right now you were too upset to let it affect you enough to rise to your feet.

The sight of Loqi on his knees covered in blood was an image you couldn’t get out of your mind. It haunted you incessantly since the moment it happened. You had stayed up the entire night to watch him sleep, afraid that if you closed your eyes he would be gone when you awoke. His hand in yours was the only thing that gave you respite from the torrent of emotions aching inside your breast. You almost lost him, and that memory would not soon fade.

How could you forgive Noctis for nearly taking him away from you? The boy didn’t even have the nerve to speak to you after what he’d done. Being introverted was no excuse, but you felt it was probably for the better at the time because had he come to you, you may very well have drawn your sword on him. Even today though, he hadn’t tried. Only Ignis had come to your door to check on you. Still, you didn’t feel like you wanted to see the prince’s face right now. Had you not trusted your instincts or arrived even a moment later, your brother would be dead because of him.

A soft knock came at the door to your room and for a moment you thought it may have been him, but then another familiar voice graced your ears instead. Prompto called out your name hesitantly, almost as if he was unsure whether or not to disturb you. After a minute of silence you heard him sigh and knock harder, calling out your name again. “Are you okay in there?” He sounded worried. “Please…open the door? I want to talk to you.”

 _If he wanted to talk he could just_ text me.

The bitter tone of your thoughts had you mentally slapping yourself. Prompto wasn’t the one who hurt you. He didn’t deserve your wrath. Yes, you wanted to be alone right now, but the worry in his voice had you imagining the face that always came with it. You hated it when the little ball of sunshine looked like someone had crushed his dreams or taken something precious from him. Every time you saw that face you wanted to kill whatever caused it.

He started making scratching noises at the door, little whines making their way through the cracks from the other side like a sad puppy. And god was it working. Ever since the day you had openly compared him to a puppy, he’s been using it against you. Imagining that sad expression and those big blue eyes on the verge of tears was like a dagger through the heart. You couldn’t ignore him anymore.

You exhaustedly drag yourself out of the bed, shuffling over to the door to let him in. Snapping the lock open, you crack the door to level him with an unamused stare, a nervous smile staring back at you. You sigh and allow him to enter the room, slamming the door shut and locking it behind him. Heading back to the bed, you flop down on the mattress and watch him take a seat next to you. You weren’t really in the mood to talk, but the blonde was always a persistent one whenever he knew someone was feeling awful. He just couldn’t leave them alone.

He fidgets with his fingers, eyes locked on them like he was inspecting them for something. You note the fact that he was wearing his assassin outfit again and wondered if that had anything to do with his presence here right now.

“Are you okay?” He finally speaks up and looks at you, the same sad expression you had imagined him wearing on the other side of that door now staring you in the face. “You’ve been holed up in here the whole time after Loqi left. I…” He bit his lip and looked away, falling into an awkward silence.

Sighing again, you scratch at your arm uncomfortably and look towards the window. It was nighttime again. You’ve gone most of the day without even eating, and hadn’t talked to any of them at all. Of course he’d be unsettled. “I’m fine, Prompto. It’s just…reality is being harsh, you know?”

He chuckles softly. “Yeah…Yeah I get that. I’ve been there before.” His leg starts bouncing gently in place, grabbing your attention away from outside. “I…I wanted to apologize.”

You were surprised he’d feel the need to. He’d done nothing wrong. If anything, he helped saved the city. “What the hell for? You didn’t--”

“I didn’t stop Noct from hurting him.” He cut you off, his voice sounding a little choked up. “I was _right there_. I saw what was happening, but I _didn’t do a damn thing._ I was…I was scared.” He clenched his eyes shut at the memory of it all, remorseful about his own inaction. “I could’ve protected him, but I was terrified of what was happening to Noct. I’ve never seen him that angry before and he wouldn’t listen to us.”

He was blaming himself. You couldn’t let him do that. “Prompto, _stop._ None of this is _your fault._ Not you, not Ignis, and not Gladio. My brother is a smartass who obviously did something stupid enough to make Noctis lose his shit. That’s not on any of you. Just the two of them.” You take one of his hands into yours and squeeze it gently. “You’re not the one who owes me an apology. Noctis is responsible for his own actions.”

Prompto nods at your words, squeezing your hand softly in return. “You’re right.” He looks down to his right wrist, the black band he’s never once removed in front of his friends. “Can I…tell you a secret?”

Your eyes are drawn to the wrist band he’s now fidgeting with, curious as to what has suddenly made him so anxious. “You can tell me anything.”

He smiles at that, hesitantly pulling away the very band that has been safe guarding his true identity for his entire life. Even his best friend didn’t know. “I’m just like you, sorta.”

He holds his wrist toward you, a barcode branded on the flesh there. Your fingers trace the design and he flinches at the touch, but doesn’t back away, watching you ponder over what it could be. He had always been terrified of showing this to anyone, but the way you touched him so delicately made his heart flutter with hope that he would be accepted by you.

“I’m from Niflheim too.” His words had your eyes on his again and he swallowed hard subconsciously. “I…I don’t really know anything about who I am, or who my parents were. I was taken away from there as a baby.” His voice was shaking with each word, your arm finding it’s way around him, soothing him with your warmth. “So I guess we’re homies?” He joked. “I mean it was never a home I knew, but…I want you to know that you’re not alone here. Whenever you need me, I’ll be right there.”

The sweet sincerity was something you loved about this boy. He never said things he didn’t mean. Was always aware of his friends’ feelings. You were shutting yourself out from everyone after your brother was hurt and he refused to let you fall into depression. Always your little sunshine since the day you walked into their lives.

You hug him without a word, his arms wrapping around you in kind. Tears fell unbidden, sobbing softly against his shoulder. You hadn’t realized how much you needed this. A friend to simply hold you after almost losing a brother. Growing up in a prestigious military family had made life hard for both of you. Loqi had been the only reason you even wanted to excel at being a soldier. It was all to protect him, from the enemy and from himself. You had nearly failed to do that because of a simple request on his part, and the weight of that guilt was crushing you like Titan himself.

When you finally calmed down, you brushed away the remaining tears and looked to him again, really taking in the features of his face. Now that you think about it, that face had always looked familiar to you, like you’d seen it somewhere before in an old picture. You weren’t sure if it was a good idea to bring it up, so you stored the thought away instead. “Thank you, Prompto. I think I needed that.”

He smiled brightly at you and patted your thigh before jumping to his feet. “C’mon, let’s go enjoy the festival before we lose this chance.”

He grabs your hands to pull you into standing and you don’t fight it. His infectious smile causing a sense of happiness to bubble up within you. You move to grab the costume that had been loaned to you and head for the bathroom to put it on while he waited for you patiently.

Out in the streets of Lestallum, the crowds were still as large as they had been the first day. The sounds of laughter and cheering echoed throughout the area as festivalgoers enjoyed the many attractions attuned to the theme of the Assassin’s Creed video game series. People walking across rooftops, stalking staged templars, enjoying food reminiscent of meals found in the game’s many locations, and the carnival styled challenges lined up along the streets. They even had a treasure hunt being hosted that Prompto explained was similar to an in-game function. All the things the five of you had missed out on when you first returned to the city. It was nice seeing everyone just enjoying themselves even after the imperial disruption the previous day.

As you went from place to place, exploring all they had to offer, and becoming increasing interested in the videogame it was all inspired by, you ended up spotting the one woman who always seemed to be on Prompto’s mind. A mischievous grin forms on your face, pulling him along by the arm when you get closer to the photo booths. He had gone out of his way to cheer you up, it was only fair that you play wingman and try to make his day.

The muscles in his arm tense when you know he finally sees her, but you don’t stop dragging him, gently shoving him in her direction, and encouraging him to spend some time with his ‘goddess’. “Have fun you two!” You wave goodbye without giving Prompto a chance to protest, watching his mouth open and close like a fish out of water. You smiled at the sight of it, knowing he’d be okay because Cindy seemed like a nice girl who could get him talking. He just needed to get over the initial nervousness and all would be well.

During your escape, you turn a corner too fast and unexpectedly crash into someone you weren’t planning on seeing yet. Noctis’ eyes go wide in shock like he hadn’t expected to see you either. He opens his mouth to say something, but snaps it shut, not sure where to start. He tries to run away from the problem by walking past you, but you stop him, firmly grabbing his arm.

“Acting like a coward now?” You ask teasingly, trying to lighten that tight feeling in your stomach. You weren’t actively searching for him and yet here you were trying your best to resolve this situation. Dragging it on would be pointless and extremely unhealthy for both of you. It wasn’t lost on you that Noctis had gone rigid at your words, his arm like a rock beneath your grasp. Had you said something wrong already?

His hand covers yours, looking back at you over his shoulder. He looked a mixture of conflicted and angry, his lips a hard line with only a hint of a frown. You let go of him and he fully turned to you, looking away like he couldn’t bare to stare into your eyes for more than a few seconds. His fists clenched at his sides, an exasperated sigh falling from his lips. “ _He_ said that to me too…”

Surprised by his words, you urge him to clarify. “What are you talking about?”

“ _Your brother._ ” His voice came out more agitated than he had meant for it to and he sighs again. “He asked me if I was ‘a coward or a king‘. Said some shit about my dad and I just… _I lost it._ ” Clutching his arm tightly, he forced himself to continue. “I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I’m sorry. I was so pissed off that I took all my anger toward the empire out on him. I forgot your words to me…and I can’t even _forgive myself_ for that.” His self-loathing and regret began to mar his voice. “What kind of king am I supposed to be when I can’t even keep a lid on my emotions?”

You felt your heart sink at how weakly he had asked that question. It was as if he was losing faith in himself. You were angry, but you understood. You could forgive, but you wouldn’t forget, and right now the savior of Eos was doubting himself. You had to swallow your own feelings to let him know it’s okay. To let him know he made a mistake and he can fix it. He _will_ fix it. It was now your personal mission to make sure of that.

“Yes, I’m furious with you. You almost took the most precious person in my life away from me, and that will take time to heal, but Noctis,” you throw your arms around him before he has a chance to back away, hearing him gasp lightly at the sudden contact. “You will be a good king just like your father. Someone who would give his life to protect his people. And if you _ever_ make a mistake like this again, you can be damn sure I’m going to kick your ass to set you straight.”

The muffled chuckle against your chest sets you at ease, another weight being lifted from your shoulders when his arms finally reciprocate your gesture. What you weren’t expecting was the wet feeling soaking through the fabric, his tears staining all the way through to your heart. He truly meant his words, and his tears were proof of that. He was sorry, and soon enough you could forgive him completely.

When you let him go he steps away, wiping his eyes with his arm, another light laugh escaping him, embarrassed that he’d cried. “I’d _let you_ kick my ass. If it came from you, I know I’d deserve it.”

The fond smile was all the promise you needed. He would keep his word next time, or he would willingly pay the price for it. You pat his shoulder as you walk past him, determined to settle one more score before the night was over.

You looked back toward the prince when he called out your name, asking you where you were headed. Smiling at him you simply said, “I’ve got a behemoth to make peace with,” and waved goodbye, giggling at the confused look on his face.

Seeking to reconcile with Gladiolus, you swing by the cup noodle stand and buy one as a gift. It was a foolproof plan. At least you hoped it was. The man was crazy about these noodles. It had to work, right?

Wandering throughout the alleys of the city you spot your wayward comrade holding up a wall with his arms crossed over his chest, watching a group of people--mostly women--standing around chatting with each other. You couldn’t help the wry smile twitching on your lips at the sight of him eyeing them like he was stalking prey. He doesn’t even notice you walk up on him until you’re right at his side clearing your throat. That seemed to startle him, his arms falling to his sides, looking quizzically at the cup and chopsticks being held out to him.

“The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, right?” You grin at him knowingly. There was no way in hell he was turning this down.

Gladiolus barks a laugh, shaking his head as he accepts the peace offering. “Never could say no to a cup of noodles, or a pretty face.” You decidedly ignore the latter half of that comment, not sure if you wanted to know whether or not it was in reference to you.

You smile at him and lean up against the wall next to him, contemplating all your time together. The two of you could never have been described as ‘best friends for life’, but you still felt close to him despite your differences. It was the reason you felt guilty that he had taken your infiltration of the prince’s group personally. “I’m really sorry for lying about who I am before. It was my job.”

“And you’re obviously damn good at it,” he complimented half-heartedly. He wasn’t exactly thrilled to know there were Nifs smart enough to fool him. He opened up the warm cup and began to dig into the food, savoring the taste before looking over to you. “I get that you were obligated to lie. You don’t strike me as the type to do it willingly.” He thought for a moment as he took another bite. “What I don’t get though is why didn’t you do it?”

You watched him curiously, surprised he’d just dig into the food without suspecting it would be poisoned after the way he’d been acting around you. Not that you would ever do such a thing. “Why didn’t I do what?”

He stopped eating and turned to face you. “Why didn’t you kill him? Or any of us?” It was something that had been on his mind ever since he calmed down after Ignis explained the situation to him. “You had plenty of time to do it, so why did you hesitate?”

“Because you’re all wonderful people,” you replied earnestly. “I learned that the more time we spent together. As time went on, I couldn’t bring myself to complete that mission. Noctis is a good kid. He doesn’t deserve to die simply because he’s the prince of an opposing nation.”

Gladiolus chuckles at the irony. “The Nifs really lost out with you, didn’t they?”

You glare at him, offended by his choice of words. “What the hell’s that suppose to mean?” You asked irritably.

“It means they bet on the wrong horse.” He points his chopsticks at you. “Clearly you were born in the wrong kingdom. You’re too good for those assholes.”

The proud smile on his face had you blushing slightly. You had never thought about it that way, but Gladiolus didn’t know that there were actually a few good people in Niflheim. Your brother was one of them. “They’re not all bad, Gladio, but…thank you.”

“No need to thank me. You have enough balls to go against your own people, and after having this little chat, I’m feeling better about this.” He finished off his noodles and tossed the cup in a nearby trash bin. “If anything, I think you’ve proven enough to me in the past two days to where I can let this slide.”

“What do you mean?” You couldn’t believe he’d forgive you this easily, not after how upset he’d been with you before. He was even making a move to kill you when Loqi appeared in town and exposed you.

Gladiolus looked you in the eyes before he spoke. “You stood against your own brother _willingly_ to try and protect us. I saw how much that was hurting you…especially when Noct nearly killed him.” He groaned at the memory and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’d do anything to protect my sister too, so I get why you couldn’t go through with it. And the way you feel about Iggy, I’m not blind to that either. I kind of noticed that part before all this.” He holds out his hand to you, gesturing for a handshake. “I guess what I’m trying to say is: Let’s start over.”

Instead of shaking his hand, you cover it with both of yours, encasing it in the warmth of your palms. Apparently the action had caught him off guard because he was now frozen in place, unable to look away from you. A warm smile overtakes your features and you see the faintest hint of a blush forming on his cheeks like he’s embarrassed. You didn’t think Gladiolus was capable of looking so innocent until this moment. “I’d like that very much.”

He nodded as you released him, a comfortable silence falling between the two of you. You were glad that this conversation had gone so well. You weren’t expecting forgiveness to come so quickly, but you’re happy it did. The sooner this was all behind you, the better things would be.

You pull up the hood of your costume awkwardly, wondering if this was a good time to leave because you wanted to look for Ignis before it got too late. “I should go and leave you to your womanizing,” you said cheekily, patting him on the back in encouragement. “Try to find yourself a good wife, or husband, while you have the chance.” You wink at him and walk away, hearing his laughter echo behind you.

You search high and low for the object of your affection, wondering where on Eos he had wondered off too. It was only when you neared a food stall that was featuring meals from the Assassins game that you finally see him sitting there at a table, jotting down notes in what you had affectionately dubbed his ‘recipe book’.

It only takes a few seconds of staring for him to notice your presence, a surprised yet warm smile adorning his features. He closes the book and stands, tucking it away inside the inner pocket of his suit before walking over to greet you. “It’s good to see you out and about.”

“A lonely puppy came scratching at my door begging to be taken for a walk, so here I am.” You reply jokingly.

He smiles fondly, knowing full well who you were referring to. “Ah yes, Prompto has a knack for bringing cheer to a sullen heart. You seem to have lost him however.”

“We came across his favorite girl in the world, so I sent him to play with her for awhile. You should’ve seen how red his face got when I shoved him in her direction.” You could only hope that right now he was settled down comfortably with her, talking about their mutual love of mechanics and engineering. Prompto may not look it, but you had learned he was a total technophile that also dabbled in other related subjects. The last time you were at Hammerhead he had expressed an interest in learning how to upgrade his weapons from Cid, but ultimately decided to leave it to the master.

A sudden set of explosions ripped you from your thoughts, jumping at the sound of it and drawing your sword. Ignis seemed shocked by your reaction, reaching out to you attentively to calm your nerves. “Have you never witnessed fireworks before?”

You stared at him blankly, slowly registering what he meant as he pointed up toward the sky. Instead of the bombs you had expected to see, the night sky was being lit up by decorative bursts of color, exploding to form various shapes, one of which you recognized as the trademark logo for the very game series this festival was about. It was a beautiful display, unlike anything you’ve ever seen. You take a deep breath and sheath your blade, embarrassed by your own ignorance.

“No…Growing up in a strict family, one doesn’t usually get to enjoy this sort of ‘fun’.” It was sad to think about it now, so many years of your childhood wasted on having to be an adult the minute you were old enough to start your training.

He hums in thought, watching you carefully from his peripheral view. It was apparent the topic was a sore one, but something inside him said you were in need to speak of it. He pressed further. “The pressures of a prestigious background I presume?”

You laugh dryly. “Yes…My father was quite the slave driver. The majority of our time was spent training. ‘A Tummelt shall only rest upon their deathbed. You are to be the sharpest blade within the empire. A force to be reckoned with.’ He practically drilled glory and honor in the name of the empire into my brother. I was far more stubborn, though I would not speak my mind to him openly.”

Pondering the irony of it all, you found yourself reminiscing far deeper than you cared to. “I never wanted to be a soldier until I realized I _had_ to be one to protect the person I love. Mother had originally wanted me to be like her: a scholar entertaining fellow aristocrats at meaningless parties. The only thing I’m grateful to my father for is that he refused to allow my talents to go to waste on such a thing.”

You take a breath to ease the tension building in your chest from the anger of your lives never having been in _your_ control back then. Not only that, it was the fact that if your mother had succeeded in convincing your father, Loqi would be dead right now because your father had _made him_ become a soldier--drilled it into him since birth. Loqi liked having a talent for combat, but it wasn’t _his choice_ in the beginning. He was a rambunctious little thing when the two of you were kids, but he was also a free spirit that had been chained down by obligation, crushing his own desires for the sake of his family. Groomed to became what he now is: A son born to uphold a legacy. 

Still, being his sibling, you could see the desires he’d left behind flickering beneath the surface. His love of music, literature and art still lingering there behind those eyes. While he took pride in upholding that family legacy, surely he still dreamed for more than to die for his country. You could almost see it when you walked the streets of Lestallum together before his departure, his gaze wandering to the attractions, a soft smile at the music that played. You had to believe that you hadn’t lost him to a life of war completely.

Ignis takes your hand in his, bringing it to his lips to place a soft kiss at the back of it. Your eyes meet and he smiles at you with all the love in his heart. “For what it’s worth, I’m grateful to them for birthing one such as you. Your heart is pure and noble, untainted even by your own family’s wishes for your future. To walk one’s own path was surely a difficult choice for you to make, yet you have made it, regardless of the ties that bound you. You are free to follow your heart now, and it is my hope that one day your brother will share in that freedom. For his sake, and for yours.”

You return his smile, wishing for the very same. “I hope so too.”

Leaning your body against his, you let his warmth soak through you, hands entwined with one another as you enjoyed the fireworks dancing through the sky. Making a wish upon the stars, you prayed that one day Loqi would stand here by your side, enjoying such a peaceful moment for himself, just as you were now. You will not lose him to this war. No matter what it takes, you vow to protect him to the bitter end.


End file.
